A heartfelt look back at California Screamin' and Paradise Pier!

As you have probably come to find out, I grew up going to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. I always wanted to go to Disneyland in California but my family wasn't really into it and had been in the late 70's and really didn't enjoy it.

My first time going to Disneyland was in early 2009 on a choir tour and really only had a day and a half to experience both DCA and Disneyland. This was before the 1 billion dollar re-imagining of the park so I was lucky enough to experience the hideous Sunshine Plaza entrance, and the cool Golden Gate Monorail Bridge. I also got a glimpse of the Sun Wheel (now Mickey's Fun Wheel) and the Mickey loop on California Screamin' (seen below) which have both been changed.

Anyways, the only real highlight at that time, for me anyways, was Paradise Pier and California Screamin'. It was so beautiful.

Especially at night OMG!

This is such an underrated area. It's truly so much fun just to be on the pier and watch the trains take off on California Screamin' or have an ice scream and stroll along the pier. I have to admit, I'm not much of a Fun Wheel person, but if that floats you boat I'm sure its a wonderful view! The lagoon here is also home to World of Color (below), which again is a gorgeous show of water and lights and really adds to the magic of this area.

But the main attraction here and one of the two "headline attractions" when the park opened in 2001, is California Screamin'. I love this ride! Out of all of Disney's coasters in the U.S. this is my favorite. No, it's not the fastest, not the scariest, it is actually the longest, but that is not why it's my favorite, it's simply the setting and the music.

There is a viewing area with benches where guests and family and friends can watch as you make a fool of yourself during the launch. I could probably watch that all day. Wait a minute, I did...

This coaster is one of the most unique in that you start the ride under the pier, right next to the water. Neil Patrick Harris, who is actually obsessed with Disney Parks, who voiced the spiels will countdown the launch and you are off! It's one of the coolest ride experiences I've had. Definitely different than anything in Walt Disney World. Below is a really good video with the audio synced to the ride to give you that full experience.

I am definitely going to miss this ride as it is closing in early January 2018 to be re-themed to (meh) the Incredicoaster as part of the Pixar Pier (meh) re-imagine as seen in the concept art below. 

This marks the first time Disney has used a IP (intellectual property) to cover up and re-theme something original. 

Oh wait..

ExtraTerrorestrial Alien Encounter to Stitch's Great Escape!

 The Timekeeper (super outdated but RIP) to the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor

The Tower of Terror (DCA) to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! (Gregg DeGuire getty images)

Maelstrom to Frozen Ever After

This iconic scene from Pirates of the Caribbean to the pirate Redd.

(Photo credit: Disney Parks Blog)

El Rio del Tiempo to the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

I could go on, but I think point made.

RIP California Screamin' and Paradise Pier 2001-2018.

Epcot, a 35th Anniversary look back!

Epcot, or Epcot Center as it was known in 1982 is perhaps the most interesting theme park ever constructed. If you want to brush up your Epcot history, or you just want a good read here are my things you should know about Epcot especially since the 35th anniversary is upon us.

E.P.C.O.T was Walt Disney's original dream for the "Florida Project" as Walt referred to it as.

Yes there was always going to be a theme park in Florida, but the main "most exciting part of the Florida Project...is the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow"or as we know it today (although in a different form) Epcot. E.P.C.O.T was going to be just that, a groundbreaking city that would have been more advanced and sophisticated than anything we had seen up to that point, and probably would still be, but ironically I think Walt Disney World Resort has taken that honor, so in a way it did happen, just not how Walt originally envisioned.

Epcot Center was originally going to be either Future World or World Showcase.

When it came time to decide what the final plans for the park would become, Marty Sklar who was Vice President of Planning at the time said, why not both? He shoved both the Future World and World Showcase models together and the rest is history.

Future World and it's attraction's reflected the ideals of E.P.C.O.T and the innovations that have and will shape our world in the years to come.

Energy, Communication, The Land, The Seas, The Human Body, Transportation, Technology, Imagination and The Future of Mankind. Each one of these subjects would have it's own pavilion and rides dedicated to it. In fact to decide on what the themes should be used, Epcot Forums were created as sort of a town hall. Ray Bradbury (Author of Fahrenheit 451, Something Wicked This Way Comes) attended more than one and even spoke at one. I was surprised to hear he was actually a contributor to the ride Spaceship Earth.

A grandiose Space pavilion was originally planned and announced for Epcot Center, but Disney was unable to find a corporate sponsor who would back such a project, also much of the technology for such a pavilion would have had to be invented which takes time and money. A form of the Space pavilion was realized with Mission: Space, however it had replaced what many consider the greatest ride ever created, Horizons which already touched on life in outer space.

Also a Movies/Film pavilion was talked about and had renders done of where it would have been located (by the bathrooms to the right of imagination and in between the land) but that was the inspiration for building its own park, the Disney MGM Studios!

A thoughtful look back at Walt Disney World's Year Long Celebrations (1997-2017) Pt 1

A Year of a Million Dreams, Millennium Celebration, 100 Years of Magic, Walt Disney World 25th Anniversary. What do they all have in common? You guessed it, they were all year-long celebration. These celebrations were iconic, some for not the right reasons, but each made lasting changes at Disney Park and I wanted to take a look back at some of them. For this list I will be focusing on 1997-2017!

Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary

Do you "Remember the Magic"? I sure do. Whether you loved or hated the cake castle you still remember it. Even if you weren't there I'm sure you've seen pictures or at least heard about it.

Not gonna lie though, I thought the Castle looked hideous. And on top of the paint job it received, only the front part was decorated.

 

ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was one of the attractions that opened in preparation for the 25th anniversary, which is now legendary as the only attraction "too scary" for audiences at the Magic Kingdom, which led to it's unfortunate early departure and hideous refurbishment into Stitch's Great Escape.

Also, the Remember the Magic Parade debuted, featuring new guest interaction segments. This parade lasted until 2001. Interestingly enough, most of these floats have survived since 1996, with most of them reappearing in various Disney parades since being retired.

Millennium Celebration (1999-2001)

I won't lie, some of these celebrations definitely feel like they were just celebrated so Disney would have something new for guests that year, and seem a bit insincere, this however was not one of them. My personal favorite of the celebrations, Millennium Celebration was designed as a once in a lifetime event. Some of the celebrations had theme songs like the 25th celebration (Remember the Magic) and the Millennium Celebration had "Celebrate the Future, Hand in Hand".

I will probably make a whole post of just this Celebration, so I'll keep it short.

The newly redesigned Epcot was the center of the celebration. Both the Entrance and the "Hub" were changed to incorporate the new millennium.

The beautiful entrance fountain (above) was changed to... well just a fountain, and ugly fake marble slabs were painted on Spaceship Earth (below), they have since reverted back to the original color.

And the entrance area added huge marble slabs where you could "Leave a Legacy" by putting your picture (which etched a metal picture) on the marble for the rest of time (below).

And of course the Mickey wand! I really thought the Mickey 2000 wand was really cool, however the post 2000 "Epcot" sign was really out of place.

Journey into Imagination was also replaced by Journey into YOUR Imagination. Sadly this got rid of the Dreamfinder and the wonderful nuances that made the original so unique. 

Also the color scheme was changed on the exterior of the building to an odd orange, red and turquoise mixture.

But enough of the negatives, this celebration introduced some awesome additions such as:

Tapestry of Nations: Tapestry of Nations was a wonderful parade around World Showcase Lagoon which included life sized puppets and guest interactions. the amazing score was written by Gavin Greenaway.

IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth: The most notable and lasting addition is IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. This show which is still running nightly, is a true magnificent sight to behold and really embodies the meaning of World Showcase which is togetherness. If you haven't been to Epcot in the past 18 years, you should head on over to watch it.

Check out my review of IllumiNations on my blog as well!

Stay tuned for Pt.2 and also Epcot 35th Anniversary coverage!

Hidden Gems of Walt Disney World

Some of the best attractions and activities at Walt Disney World are actually little known to the majority of tourists. Some of these are actually hidden and don't have a scheduled time or place, and some of these will be classic Disney attractions that have for the most part remained untouched. I wanted to start a new series that covers some of these hidden or in some cases just less popular jems.

The Country Bear Jamboree - Frontierland - Magic Kingdom

The Country Bear Jamboree is a classic Disney attraction that has been around since opening day of the Magic Kingdom. While the show was shortened and has received cosmetic updates over the years, the core show has remained pretty much the same. I used to pass up this show every time I went to the Magic Kingdom. I saw the show once in my early teens and thought is was "lame" and not funny. Fast forward to 2014, I was talked into seeing it by a friend who had loved the show since she was a kid. I absolutely loved it! If you've never seen it before and are past your teenage years, you need to see this. Parts of the show are kind of absurd actually, but that also adds to the joke of the show too. It has so many jokes in it that I didn't understand as a teen, it truly is hilarious!

Did you know?

Did you know that this show was originally created for a Disney ski resort located in Sequoia National Park but fell through after Walt's death. Also in "A Goofy Movie" there is a parody/nod to the Country Bear Jamboree. The show is "The Awesome Posse Jamboree" at Lester's Possum Park. Actually my first experience at country bears was very similar to Max's in the movie.


Tom Sawyer Island - Frontierland - Magic Kingdom

Just like the country bears, I used to pass up opportunities to go to Tom Sawyer Island because it was out of the way, and wasn't a "ride". I recently journeyed to the island and realized there is so much to see there its ridiculous. Not only are there a bunch of paths to explore, but it's beautiful as well. You really do feel as if you are on an island on the Mississippi River. You can also get amazing views of Big Thunder Mountain, the Haunted Mansion and the Liberty Belle. The only real downside is that it still takes a little while to get there on the rafts, and they are the only way on or off the island.


Backlot Express - Echo Lake - Disney's Hollywood Studios

(Photo by: themeparktourist)

This is actually a quick service restaurant at Disney's Hollywood Studios, located in-between Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Star Tours. While the food is actually pretty decent for a quick service (serves american fare), the actual reason why its on this list is because there are actual props from movies and past Disney attractions inside the seating area as well as outside. Some of these props include: the skeletal body of Benny the Cab as well as the Toon Patrol car from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", the hot air balloon and a couple of animal AA's from World of Motion, the desert hovercraft from Horizons, as well as many other props. Interestingly enough the chairs that are used here are actually chairs from all around the property. They are displaced chairs or chairs that are no longer being used at their original location.

Beaches and Cream - Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort

(Photo by: Keys to the magic)

It's still a well known restaurant for repeating visitors, but if you have never been, It is truly a treat to eat there! If you haven't eaten there, it is pretty much a diner right out of the 50's. Akin to the 50's Prime Time Cafe, the theming is awesome here. It has more of a soda fountain/ice cream parlor feel and way more relaxed than the Prime Time, complete with a jukebox and connected is an arcade (which was totally the reason why I loved this as a kid).

Tonga Toast - Captain Cook's or Kona Cafe - Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

Oh Man. Tonga Toast is my favorite breakfast food at Walt Disney World. Amazingly, I found that actually everyone I have traveled with to WDW  that has had Tonga Toast doesn't like. That's my little preface. I absolutely love this though. It is a fried piece of Hawaiian sweet bread stuffed with actual bananas, and the outside is coded in cinnamon sugar. It takes a while to eat so I recommend going to the Poly early then hit up Magic Kingdom at rope drop!

"Tapestry of Nations" playing after IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth - Epcot

If you remember the Millennium Celebration at Epcot in 2000, you will undoubtedly remember the truly magical and downright impressive Tapestry of Nations. This was a parade that was held twice nightly around World Showcase and set up the story of IllumiNations: ROE. There were puppets worn on the backs of performers and they would interact with guests as they would their way though each country. The story changed a little in 2001 and came to a close in 2003. It had a very short run, but always stuck out in my memory as one the best shows or parades in the last 20 years.

You can now hear the soundtrack of Tapestry of Nations as you leave Epcot (the music plays once IllumiNations has finished). It is definitely comparable, to me at least, to Magic Kingdom's Kiss Goodnight (credit:iThempark and hanstrevor).

Journey to Star Wars Land: The History

Star Wars Land: The History

If you haven't heard yet (where have you been?!?), both Disneyland and Walt Disney World are currently building a Star Wars Land. Also if you didn't know, Star Wars is my favorite movie series of all-time so I'm quite excited about the changes coming to DHS.

(above) Land clearing of the Streets of America

(above) Concept art of Star Wars Land

The original Start Tours ride was incredible opening in January of 1987, and quite expensive at roughly 33 million dollars to make. (Disneyland itself cost around 18 million to make). The ride would be a flight simulator designed to look like a space craft, which  housed the 30-some person theater. Overseeing the special effects would be Industrial Light and Magic (Lucas' own special effects company that was ironically created for the first Star Wars movie) and George Lucas himself.

 In 1995, Disneyland shortened the Jungle Cruise to open a brand new attraction, the first of it's kind, the Indiana Jones Adventure (Temple of the Forbidden Eye), and it is still to this day one of my favorite rides.

With the Star Wars trilogy being one of the biggest fanbases, and the financial success of the movies, and success of the Star Tours attraction in Disneyland, it was a no-brainer to include the ride at Disney's planned third gate, the Disney MGM-Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) which was to celebrate not only the movies, but of 1930's Hollywood. By the time Disney had decided to include Star Tours in the parks plans, it was too close to opening which meant that Star Tours would be a delayed opening of 6 months. Finally Star Tours opened in Florida in December of 1989.

(credit JSpence; above) The brand new Star Tours at MGM Studios had a AT-AT walker shooting at guests as they walked into the queue

The first time I rode Star Tars was around 1995, and I was amazed! I could finally join the Rebel Alliance and be in that universe. When I was that young I was actually pretty afraid of thrill rides but I for sure overcame a few childhood fears, but I digress.

From there, Lucasfilm took a bigger presence in the parks, especially at Disney's Hollywood Studios. From 1997 (the 25th anniversary of Star Wars/Re-Release into theaters) to 2015, Disney would host Star Wars Weekends which really took over the park every weekend in May. I actually was at the first one in 1997 and got to meet Darth Vader and C-3PO for the first time!

The next change really didn't happen until 2011, when both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Versions of Star Tours opened brand new as Star Tours:The Adventures Continue. The additions included 3D, C-3PO was your new captain (poor Rex is now in the queue) and 50 new adventures! It was a cool concept but for some reason the time period was chosen in-between Episodes 3-4 which meant everything looked like the awful prequels and no of the "adventures" really had any heart to it. For a time when the Force Awakens was released there was a pretty cool Jakku scene, but even a casual Star Wars knows that you had to time travel during your journey. Hopefully there will be another rehab soon!

As to the changes, both parks had to close some attractions to make way for the opening of Star Wars Land. Disneyland closed the Big Thunder Ranch and petting zoo, and  has closed everything on the Rivers of America until construction is complete. Hollywood Studios closed Streets of America (which meant the closure of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie playset, and Lights! Motors! Action!

Just announced last month, Star Wars Land is set to open in 2019 at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and I cannot wait. The concept looks amazing and there are some structures coming up like the two AT-AT walkers.

This is the structures coming up as of March 2017

Thanks for reading!